NEW YORK STATE WRESTLING: TIOGA WILL HAVE SCHOOL-RECORD SIX GRAPPLERS IN ACTION AT DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS (2020-02-27)
99- AND 120-POUND BRACKETS IN FLUX FOLLOWING WITHDRAWALS
By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports ReportALBANY "” For the first time in school history, Tioga will have six wrestlers in action at this weekend's New York State, Division 2 Championships here at the Times-Union Center.
The Tigers also had six qualify for States two years ago, but then junior John Worthing was forced to withdraw due to illness.
This weekend, senior Brady Worthing will vie for his second state title, and third trip to the podium, while sophomores Emmett Wood and Mason Welch, freshman Donovan Smith, and 8th-graders Gianni Silvestri and Caden Bellis are making their first trip to Albany.
"It's a testament to our off-season program," said Tioga coach Kris Harrington. "These kids have put the work in, and it's come to fruition.
"You get what you earn in this sport, not what you deserve," noted Harrington. "These guys have earned a trip (to Albany) with some sweat equity in the spring and in the summer. Not everyone wants to put that time in, coaches included.
"When you do it, this is the dividends it will pay," he added.
The Tigers sent four wrestlers to Albany and won the team title. Harrington notes the biggest difference is the experience level of this year's qualifiers.
"It's an adjustment," said Harrington. "Last year, we had the luxury of four kids who had wrestled in Albany before. It's a big difference - to understand how procedures go.
"And, the Parade of Championships is an obstacle you have to worry about, and I'm super concerned about our 99- and 106-pounders because they'll warm up, then they'll cool down, and then we'll have to warm them back up," noted Harrington.
"Now, we do have the luxury of having partners," he continued. "Our 99-, 106-, and 120-pounders can warm-up with each other, and most schools don't have that luxury. I think that's a huge advantage for us, but the first time through you never know until you get out on the mat.
"I'm confident we'll do well, but you don't know," Harrington added.
Harrington reiterates that the "newness" for the majority of his wrestlers is a concern, but he does have one experienced hand at his disposal.
"The unknowns of Day 1 is definitely a concern," he said. "Luckily, Brady is with us. We have someone who can take them by the hand and show them way - show them were the bathrooms are, show them where the warm-up area is, show them where they enter the arena floor, and so on.
"I know it sounds find of funny, but it's really important," noted Harrington. "It's just a different experience for these guys.
"We'll take a good amount of time walking through the arena Thursday, showing the kids where everything is, and where they need to be," added Harrington. "It's important because those things can overload a kid, and we want them to be comfortable with what's going on, and that's why we spend that time."
While this is the "biggest stage with the brightest lights," it's definitely not the biggest tournament the Tigers have wrestled in.
"This is one of the smallest tournaments we wrestle in all year - just a 16-man bracket," said Harrington. "If our guys keep that in mind - get through the first match, and take it one at a time, they will be just fine. That's how you have to look at this "” four mini-tournaments."
Less than 24 hours away from the first matches, and two of the weight class containing Tioga wrestlers are in flux.
Camden freshman Trey Kimball (39-2), the top seed at 99 pounds, has withdrawn, and could be replaced by BGAH 8th-grader Darren Florance. If so, Tioga 8th-grader Gianni Silvestri would jump from the fifth seed to the first seed, by virtue of his six wins this season over Florance.
Also at 120 pounds, ninth-seed Joe Sparacio of Bayport-Blue Point has withdrawn, which could bump Welch from the 11th seed to the 10th seed, and out of an opening-round match-up against his teammate Donovan Smith.
Updated brackets are expected to be released later today.
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Prior to the release of new brackets, Harrington broke down each weight class with a Tioga wrestler:
99 POUNDS"It's a bit of an unknown because there are so many young underclassmen in the bracket," said Harrington. "(10th-seed) Jair Gomez of Ichabod Crane is back from last year - he's a sophomore so that might be an advantage.
"I like where Gianni is in the bracket," noted Harrington when Silvestri was seeded fifth. "He's had a tremendous year. Beating (Mount Sinai's Brayden) Fahrbach, who I think is one of the top contenders for this title, should give him some confidence."
Silvestri (36-1) is the fifth seed and will square off with wild card entry Gavin Bobb (45-2), the District V runner-up from Canisteo-Greenwood in the opening round.
"Gavin Bob is a tough draw. He's a proven commodity," said Harrington. "It's not ideal, but I'm confident with where Gianni is at. If you look at what he's done this year, if he keeps moving forward, and leg-stacking he's tough to beat.
"We've seen (Chautaqua Lake's Martin) Ohlsson against Caden (Bellis), so let's get through the first one, and I like where we shape up," added Harrington. Ohlsson is a potential second-round opponent for Silvestri.
106 POUNDSBellis (36-2) is the third seed and will square off with a familiar foe in BGAH freshman Joey Florance (28-8), who is the 14th seed, in the opening round. Bellis has beaten Florance three times this season, including 2-0 in the Section IV finals. All three wins were by two points.
"I don't love it in a sense this will be the fourth time we've wrestled him, but the whole bracket is seeded, and that's where we're at," said Harrington.
"We've won all three, and I'm confident we've gotten better as the year has gone on," he noted. "I feel good about the match-up, it's a proven commodity.
"Again, Caden needs to get to his leg attacks, and finish," added Harrington. "I think we counted about 38 leg attacks to his four, so we just need to start finishing a little bit more, and we can widen that gap."
The defending 99-pound state champion Jace Shaffer (50-2), a junior from Pal-Mac, is the top seed, while Newfane junior Andy Lucinski (45-2), last year's 99-pound state runner-up, is the second seed. Petrides senior Matt Gatto (42-2) is the fourth seed.
"The top two seeds are very stout, they are the returning state finalists, but Caden beat the fourth seed at Peru (Tournament), so I think that plays out well for us," said Harrington.
120 POUNDSThe initial bracket has sixth-seeded Smith (39-2) squaring off against Welch (30-9) in the opening round, but word broke Wednesday morning that Sparacio was out.
"Obviously, out of all the draws, we were the most disappointed at 120," said Harrington. "You don't want to go to Albany and wrestle your teammate.
"Hopefully, we get a bracket (Thursday), and they're separated," added Harrington. "You can't be anything but happy about that."
While they won't wrestle each other in the opening round, Smith and Welch are in a loaded bracket.
Three-time state champion Anthony Noto (33-1) of Honeoye Falls-Lima is the top seed, while Central Valley Academy junior Mason Bush (51-2) is the second seed, Cooperstown junior Avery Leonard (44-5) is the third seed and Pleasantville senior Len Balducci (43-3) is the fourth seed.
"It's a deep weight," said Harrington. "If it plays out, and (Donovan) stays at the sixth seed, I feel good about that.
"Iff Mason (Welch) bumps to the 10th seed, which I think he will, he'll have a tough kid (Carson Alberti) from Alden-Depew," noted Harrington. "He's a big rugged kid, so Mason will have to be ready to wrestle.
"It's a little different mindset ... we have our work cut out for our pre-scout, but I'd rather have no pre-scout than have a Tioga-Tioga first-round match-up, so I'm happy about that," added Harrington.
138 POUNDSWorthing (42-0), who was a runner-up as a sophomore, upset two-time state champion Trent Svingala of Maple Hills in the semifinals last year on his way to a 132-pound title. He is the top seed this year.
"Brady (Worthing) is the hunted this year, but he's at the top of the mountain, they have to come to him," said Harrington.
"I like Brady when the lights are on. He's put the time in, and his preparation is right where it needs to be," he added.
A familiar foe in eighth-seeded Mike O'Brien (40-5) of Mount Sinai looms in the second round for Worthing. Worthing beat O'Brien, 3-1, at the State Duals on Feb. 1. Last year, O'Brien topped Worthing, 10-5 at the State Duals. Two years ago, Worthing beat O'Brien, 7-3, at the Windsor Tournament, and pinned him in 2:20 in the round-of-16 at the state tournament.
"He's a familiar face," said Harrington. "We've seen (Mount Sinai) a ton in the last couple years. It's a tough draw, having a kid like that in the second round, but if Brady's on, I don't think anyone in the State can beat him."
152 POUNDSThe only wrestler in the 152-pound bracket with more losses than Wood (36-6) is his opening-round opponent 14th-seed Liam Futterman (27-7) of Horace Mann, yet he earned the third seed.
"If you look at Emmett's losses, they're not bad losses," said Harrington. "He lost to (Peru's Zack) Swyers, who's in the 160-pound bracket here, and he lost to (Jayden) Lassiter of Portville, who's in the 170-pound bracket here.
"He lost to (LaSalle's) Nick Pino, who is in the 160-pound bracket, and he avenged that loss, and he lost to Horseheads' (Jacob) Scibek, who is in the Division 1 152-pound bracket," noted Harrington. "He also lost to a kid (Warren Area's Joey Arnold), who is still advancing in the Pennsylvania state tournament - he's faced some quality competition.
"He's the three-seed because he has the head-to-head (win) over (Gouverneur's Joseph) Cummings. and that really set the pace for where he's seeded," added Harrington. "Everyone has beaten everyone in that bracket."
Christian Hansen (36-2) of Cold Spring Harbor is the top seed, while Keegan Case (50-3) of Central Valley Academy is the second seed, and Aidan Canfield (33-3) of Pleasantville is the fourth seed.
It's a very deep weight," said Harrington. "There are kids who have been to this tournament a few times seeded below him because of losses in the bracket.
"Emmett is in a good spot, and I think mentally he's in a good place," added Harrington. "He's leaning on his football experience, playing in the state semifinals, with confidence."
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IN PHOTO: Tioga's Donovan Smith and Mason Welch.
